MMA Fighting - UFC 310 Timeline: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura

Episode Date: December 4, 2024

Before Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura battle at UFC 310, check out the roads each fighter took to the UFC flyweight championship headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Shop now at IKEA.ca.ca.com slash Black Friday. IKEA, bring home to life. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. MMA fighting presents Timeline. Alexandra Pantosia versus Kai Asakura. January 28, 2017. UFC on Fox 23, Chevchenko versus Pena, Denver, Colorado.

After a stint as a cast member of the reality competition television show, The Ultimate Fighter, which included exhibition victories over future UFC champion Brandon Moreno and future UFC top contender Kai Kaira France, Pantosia is booked in his first official UFC fight against the 10 and 2 Eric Shelton. Pantosia wins by split decision. Pantosia would go on to win his next

matchup the following July by submitting Neil Siri in Glasgow, Scotland, at UFC Fight Night, Nelson v. Ponsanibio. January 20, 2018, UFC 220, Mietich versus Inganu, Boston, Massachusetts. Pantosia is booked on his first pay-per-view card opposite veteran Dustin Ortiz. And he hits his mark, that's 125 and a half for Dustin Ortiz, competing on Saturday night's card against Alexander Pantoja. Alexander Pantoja steps onto the scale. Thank you very much to my colleague Guillermo Cruz for that pronunciation. Alexander Pantoja and he hits his mark 126 for the cannibal.

You saw his opponent moments ago, in fact he was the first person to step on the scale, Dusted Ortiz. There's the cannibal. Alexandre Pantoja. Pantosia would suffer his first official UFC loss losing a competitive decision. However, the 28-year-old Brazilian would bounce back with an exciting decision victory over Brandon Moreno on the prelims. for UFC Fight Night Maya versus Usman and Santiago, Chile.

The winning streak would continue with the first round submission victory over Japanese flyweight Olga Sasaki at UFC Fight Night Magni versus Ponziubio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. April 13, 2019, UFC 236, Pori versus Holloway 2, Atlanta, Georgia. Pantosia is booked against former title contender Wilson Hayes. Pantosia wins by first round knockout. What performances stood out to you on this undercard? Pantosia, that's the number four guy just got knocked out, and Pantosia number five, in normal same times, that earns you a title shot.

He's on a good little run here. That's definitely not going to happen for him next, not the least because kind of his friend, Henry Suhudo, currently holds the belt, although they do seem like they'd be willing to fight down the line somewhere. You know, the flyweight division is in a bit of a weird place right now. No one really knows the future of it. You're five and one in this division. What do you think should happen next? I think this division, I don't know because I'm fighting, but it's the best fight on the world, you know.

For if you go to the UFC and you flyweight guy, you need no grapple and strike. Because I see a lot of heavyweights, a lot of heavyweights not have a grapple, you know. A lot of heavy weights, babies have a good grapple but not have a good strike, you know. You know, he's fought for one punch. but to go to the flyweight every guys need to know grappling and strike because

everybody's good you know because this fights every fight is close you know see people not like fight with good techniques

yeah you need done the flyweight but you see man you have knocked out you have good submissions you know I don't know see it makes sense

you know I see fuck I fight like the best guys in the world you know I want to the best, you know, give him the best, you know. I improve my game now, you know. I have a good, good, good team in my back. I'm at a top team.

I'm ready for everyone, you know. I'm ready to the title, you know. July 27th, 2019, UFC 240, Holloway versus Edgar, Edmonton, Alberta. Pantosia is set to face top contender and future champion, Davis and Figurato on the prelims in Canada. Alexandria Pantoja, number three flyweight in the world. Pantosia would lose by decision, but the bout is awarded the fight of the night by the UFC. You didn't talk about a Figueroa, Figueroa and Pantosia.

Fly weights? Are they fly weights? Yeah. The UFC has fly weights? And we're going to talk about him because that fight ruled. That was like, that was just chaos. I mean, I tweeted. One fight of the night. Figurato is basically the human equivalent of a wood chipper.

I mean, he just like beat the tar off. Pentotion for that fight was awesome. I mean, that fight, the one fight of the night, and to my personal opinion, and professional opinion, that fight ruled. I mean, Figurado came in, and he was just clubbing him, and then he won in very impressive fashion, came back, said he felt he was on the prelince

because he couldn't speak English, and then Dana White was quick to say, well, like, Anderson didn't really speak English, and he made an event at how many pay-per-view? So said that Henry Sehudo was probably scared to come back to flyaway and fight these new fly-away, specifically him, said he would like to fight the winner of Henry Sehudo versus Joseph Benavides for the flyweight title.

And if that doesn't happen, because Henry Sehudo did have shoulder surgery, if he's out, and then he defends his bantamweight title, or defends his flyweight title, say he wins, and then goes back to Bannamway. That's a long wait. He said, Figurado is like, I want an interim title, and I should fight for it. So I can't argue with him. Outside of those top two, he's clearly the third best flyweight in the world. Flyweight in the UFC because Demetre's Johnson is close flyweight. So top four flyweight's in the world.

And so I'm very impressed with both guys in a division that a year ago we were questioning whether it would exist in a year. And now all of a sudden, Henry Sehudo's breed life to win, Joseph Bannabedas gets a knockout and win. Figuratoa puts on another unbelievable performance. And Pintoja, credit to Potoja. He was in there. Absolutely credit to Mitoja.

That fight again ruled. So I can't say enough good things about that fight. Yeah, I'm, you know, Jose, I'm embarrassed now that I didn't bring it up. Apology except. However, maybe I would have been more ready to bring it up if it had been on the main card where it belonged. It was great. It was on ESPN.

So I hope a lot of people tuned in and watched that fight for free on ESPN. But it would have been nice of people who paid their harder money for the pay-per-view got treated to an absolute banger in Figurato and Pantosia. Pantosia would bounce back from the loss by knocking up Matt Schnell in South Korea the following December. Pantosia would also receive performance of the night honors for the K.O. The winning streak, however, would come to an end in July of 2020 as Pantosia drops a decision to Ascar-Ascaroff on Fight Island. July 30th, 2022, UFC 277, Pena versus Nunes 2, Dallas, Texas.

After picking up a victory over top contender Minal Kopp in February 2021 and a Performance of the Night's submission victory over another top contender in Brandon Royval, Pantosia is booked for the first time on the main card of a pay-per-view against top-ranked Alex Perez. I think it's a good opportunity for me and for Alex now, you know. The title is there, you know. The champion, Davidson, is vacation all life now. You know, he's looked big. Maybe he's done back to this year, you know. And I think that's right with Alex.

He's like who's the next for the title, you know? In a breakout performance, Pantosia finishes Perez in just 90 seconds, earning himself another $50,000 performance bonus and more importantly, his first UFC title shot. I did say thanks for all the guys, like old school guys, like John Moraga, you know, Demetri Johnson, John Dodson, Joe Benavids. And I'm happy to be a part of the new flyweight, you know, that's the new division. With guys like Kai Karo France, phenomenal guy, Bruno Moreno, is a Manel Capi now, beautiful fighters.

Matt Chenele last month, make a beautiful fight with a suit, the China's guy, both brilliant fighters, you know. And I'm very happy to be a part of that, you know. When you see flyweight, you can see knock mouth finish and always interesting fight, you know, never born a fight. You're never going to see one flyweight in the last round like a die, you know, it's a born fight. And that's it, the new generation, bro. July 8, 2023, UFC 290, Volcanovsky versus Rodriguez, Las Vegas, Nevada. Now riding a three-fight win streak, Pantosia is booked as the chat. to face the champion Brandon Moreno.

Man, for sure, he's a very dangerous opponent as before, because he's major, he has more experience, and he's very motivated. And I think that's the key, you know? I was saying this yesterday, actually, like, with Figuerelle, for example, he was, like, Dong to fight with me. Like, oh, I'm sick to fight with Moreno again.

But Pantoje is, like, excited. Like, I want to cut his hair and whatever. He's a scare. So that makes me make him dangerous. So man, I'm ready for the challenge. I'm curious. What do you make of his growth in the Octagon as the champion? First, I don't understand this hate about me.

I'm a very good fire. I always respect Moreno. I respect his family. He knows about that. But Saturday nights are going to be very special, five rounds. rounds, you're going to be a war. I know have Polk and Yair and the semi-card is hard to get a fight of the night. But that's I want. I want to make the fight of the night, make a beautiful show for everybody. I'm feel happy for all that. The fight's putting in the fight for hype. I appreciate all that. Thank you guys.

In a fight of the year contender, and arguably the greatest flyweight title fight of all time, Pantoja wins via split decision and becomes the new UFC flyway champion. Pantosia gets it done. The moment with his kids and his wife and his family reacting, the post-fight interview, are you proud of me now, Dad? Are you proud of me now? Like, all of it was just magic. What a fight, ice cold post-fight.

I don't know if that's ice cold or like haunting. That was like, that hit me right. here in a really profoundly sad way. Yeah. Well, I was wondering what was keeping this man alive while Brandon Moreno was hitting him in the face with sledgehammers for 25 minutes. And I think we might have found some motivation here. But talk about the fight, Chaheen, Pantosha's performance, the durability of this man, how he kept coming back. Like everything about this fight is one I'm going to go back and watch again and again and again.

I'll tell you what my kick. It continues to just be. comical to me that the UFC almost threw this division into the trash just because Demetrius Johnson had the temerity to stand up for himself against the UFC's obsession with T.J. Dillishaw during that whole situation like four or five years ago because all the flyweights have done since then is just put up fight of the year contender after fight of the year contender after fight of the year contender just over and over and over again this division continues to prove why it should exist and why I'm so glad that it continues to exist and tonight was no different

man like you like this tremendous theater through and through uh i had i ultimately scored it for one for pantosia that to me felt like the proper scorecard giving brandon rano the second round but man like brandon rano made this man work for it like the the depths to which this became a war of attrition by the end of it uh it's just incredible anytime you could see two athletes really put it all out there like this it's it's also cool to me to see because i i've said this before on i think on different things that we've done shows riding etc but like to me pantosia was always the guy who sort of was the biggest loser during this whole detour this flyway division took for this four fight series between moreno and figurato right like like pantosia has sort of been this next man up for this

division since like two thousand twenty one he was the guy who had two wins over brandon he was the guy who basically sent brandon packing out of the ufc that for that after that second win he had a win over kai kair of france from the ultimate fighter like he's just sort of the man who was continually getting overlooked in these conversations, that sort of unspoken terror, that unheralded terror, the dark horse, if you will, and just kind of sitting there having to wait his turn. And similar with Volk, where, like, the age is sort of unprecedented in a way of, like, continuing to do this at the age that he is. Like, I was legitimately scared. As someone who has been saying this man was going to be UFC champion for like two or three

years now, I was scared by the time this fight came that he had almost gotten Tony Ferguson and out and sort of they landed in that Tony Ferguson's zone where he just ultimately missed his window and by the time the actual chance to fight for the title came, it was just too damn late. And I mean, we're talking about someone who's 33 years old and in a flyway division that just does not kind to people who are 33 years old. And yet Pantosha came out here, did it again. Sometimes a man just has another's number and he's now 3 and O against Brandon Moreno. And that was a scintillating performance. I, Dana White sort of hinted in the post-fight press conference that maybe a Moreno

force fight would be next. I hope that's not the case because that doesn't make a lot of sense to me, even though this one was very fun. To me, give me Brandon Royval, man. Like, Pantosha versus Brandon Royval feels like it would be the most fun possible. It's just ultimate chaos. I know they might go Amir al-Bazi for Abu Dhabi because of sort of the regional interest in that, in that regard.

But I hope it's Brandon Royval because to me that would be a potential fight of the year. Like that's everything. that this is and then you even just step splash on a tiny bit more chaos to it. So ultimately, I love it. Fight of the Year contenders certainly. And this flyweight division just continues to just be so damn fun for me. December 16th, 2023, UFC 296 Edwards versus Covington, Las Vegas, Navajo. Pantosia, the new champion, is set to defend his title for the first time in a rematch from less than 18 months ago against Brandon Rod Dog Royval. You know, when you fight, when you go to Octagon, it's 50-50.

You know, it's only about you and your opponent, you know. I think that's the beautiful thing in the MMA, you know. I know how good Reval is. I fight with him and make a very good grapple. He's a very good grappling. In the first round, everybody can watch a high-level grapple with me and him. And when I go to Octagon, I don't want to make mistakes, you know. I'm very aggressive and I train too much all my life you know I train in Jiu-Jitsu

Muay Thai when I very young my my master my Thai master bringing me to a lot of gyms and I fight to everybody in these gyms you know for 100 times and this makes me very prepared and ready to this moment I live right now you know it doesn't matter who go to another corner of the octagonum I'm ready to fight you know All the time, if you watch me, my fight is living or die for me. I just want to prove how good I am. And I come for the, take the pound for pound, you know. Maybe people don't understand, but I'm fucking good fire, you know,

and I'm going to prove that all the time. Pantosia successfully defends his title via unanimous decision and moves to 2-0 versus Royval. I don't expect a war like that, you know, again. You know, but that's the flyaway division, you know. All the guys so prepared for that moment, you know, and all my respect for Brandon Reval. I shake him a couple times, you know, especially in the first rounds. I kick him so hard in the ribs. I don't know how he keeps coming, you know.

I have a very good kick. And I'm glad to can show him more of my strike in that fight, you know. Of course, my grappling, uh, make me. still, but I can show more my striking game, you know. And I shake him a couple of times with my right hand. And but that's it, you know, Brandon Rival coming with the prime time. And I respect all my, he deserves all my respect because he still comes, you know, he don't give up any round, you know.

I try to Katagatami, I try to need a choke. I sure are really close to finishing him. And I make a lot of power, a lot of stretching in that moment. I talk with my coach, how he don't tap, you know? And, uh, says he very, very respect for him. And that moment proved me what, when I young and I watch a lot of movies, like I Van Dam, Joaquin Van Damme, Sylvart Stallone. And my wish is I want to fight with the best fight in the world.

And now I'm here, you know, fight with the best fights in the world. 24, UFC 301, Pantoja versus Urseg, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In a surprising booking, the UFC announces that Alexandra Pantosia will headline his first pay-per-view, an attempt to defend his title against Steve Erzeg in Brazil. Erzeg earns his first UFC title shot less than a year after making his Octagon debut. I never fighting in Brazil for UFC. And now back to Rio, like a champ, like in the top of the world. That's so cool for me.

And for everyone helping me to come to that place, you know. Super excited for that. And I already beat all the guys in the front line. Ravel, Moreno, Almeo having jury. I think Eraseg is very lucky, you know. But his looks going to finish May 4, you know, because he fights with me. I think I never imagined it. with this happen, you know.

Last year, I'm here to see Moreno in Davidson. I'm a backup guy to that fight. And I think maybe this happened, you know, maybe God has something good for me. But now it's better, you know, because you see my name in the banner, make the main event. That's so cool, you know.

I never dream with that because we can dream, nobody can dream with that, be a champion. And back to your city, fight for the title. That's a very good opportunity for me. And the energy for the crowd, so amazing, you know. I expect to give it back to all the energy, you know. I want to everybody smile after my fight. Pantosia retains the title after defeating Ursaig in a competitive and entertaining unanimous decision. That's my third fight in last one year, you know. I make it 15

round in last one year. I make 75 minutes in the octagon, you know. That's huge. Yeah. And, you know, I love all my three last fight, you know, so the titles. I love watching Fantagio and Moreno. That's so amazing fight. I love watching me versus Reval. That's so technical. I make five zero. And then we have Pontorgia versus second real amazing fight. I watched the fight this morning and I love what I watch, you know, very interesting fight. You see, I try to finish him a couple of times in the first round. He's so tough. He's back for me.

And, you know, I'm super glad with my, I'm super proud with myself. December 7, 2024, UFC 310, Pantosia versus Asakura, Las Vegas, Nevada. After the original welterweight championship main event of Balaah Muhammad versus Shafcott Rachmanoff was canceled, the UFC. decides to book Alexander Pantosia in his second straight pay-per-view main event. This time, he will defend his championship against Japanese star Kai Asakura, who will not only be making his UFC debut in a championship bout, but this will also be his first time fighting outside of Asia.

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